The Best Non-Toxic Baby Bouncers for Newborns

Those early days at home with a newborn are so special and sweet. They’re so tiny and cuddly, and the excitement of bringing your baby home is in the air. Caring for a newborn is a 24/7 job, though, and there will certainly be times that you won’t be able to hold or wear your baby, such as when you’re in the shower, or when you’d like to just sit down for a meal.

Although I’m a big advocate of cuddles and closeness, I feel it’s important to have a safe and comfortable place for your baby to sit from time to time during the day. That’s where baby bouncers come in. And naturally, I’m going to recommend the best non-toxic baby bouncers for you to choose from, because we want your baby to be surrounded by nothing but the safest materials.

The Best Non-Toxic Baby Bouncers

A bouncer is essentially a baby seat, and I recommend having one because they’re incredibly useful. Bouncers can be really soothing to babies, too, so it’s a win-win for both the baby and mom and dad. Just make sure your baby can see you (and that you can keep an eye on them) while in the bouncer, and that you don’t have your baby in their bouncer too long. (A good rule of thumb I’ve heard is no more than two hours per day sitting “in something”.)

I recommend buying one bouncer for each floor in your home; otherwise, you’ll end up lugging the bouncer up and down the stairs every day. If you have a two-story home, for example, that gives you an opportunity to put your baby down while you make breakfast downstairs, and while you take a shower upstairs. (Tip: If you want your baby to sit in the bouncer while you shower, make sure they have just woken up from a nap and have a full tummy. Otherwise, you’ll have to tend to a crying baby mid-shower, and probably with a head full of shampoo. Spoken from experience.) If your baby doesn’t take to their bouncer right away, give it some time.

Here are some wonderful non-toxic baby bouncers that are made with safer materials and fabrics for you to choose from.

I love the Nuna Leaf! It’s a gentle bouncer that has a soft rocking motion that won’t overstimulate your baby. It is not electronic in any way – meaning it has no cords, batteries, or vibrating motion. It simply rocks naturally with a gentle push, making this is such a nice and comforting bouncer seat for your baby. In the company’s own words, the Leaf was inspired by the “carefree float of a leaf on a breeze”.

(If you prefer not to have to nudge the seat every few minutes, you can buy the Nuna Leaf Wind attachment, which is a small motor that can hook up to the Leaf.)

The Leaf features a GOTS-certified organic cotton insert, ensuring that your baby only comes in contact with the gentlest of materials. I highly recommend this – it’s one of my favorite non-toxic baby bouncers!

Don’t forget the adorable toy bar, which will be really handy from 8-12 weeks of age.

We have used the BABYBJORN with both kids and have been very happy with it! Actually, that’s an understatement because it has been both of my children’s favorite place to sit (aside from mom’s lap!). The best part about this bouncer is that your baby’s own movements will keep them bouncing happily in their seat. You can also push the seat to bounce your baby, but your baby will likely learn very quickly that they can power the seat all by themselves.

The BABYBJORN has four positions and can be used from birth to age 2, making this a versatile bouncer. The fabric used is Oexo-Tek certified, meaning it’s free from harmful substances. And with the fabric being removable, it’s easy to throw it in the washer. It also comes in a variety of colors to match your home or nursery.

You can also add on the Wooden Toy Bar for this bouncer, giving your little one something to play with while they are seated. All in all, the BABYBJORN Bouncer is a great choice!

Another wonderful bouncer to consider, the Stokke Steps Bouncer is powered by your baby’s own movements. It features a plush padded seat and was designed to give your baby the feeling of being cradled.

The bouncer comes with a newborn insert so that you can begin using this from the newborn stage until your baby reaches the 20-pound weight limit. The Stokke bouncer has multiple seating positions to accommodate your baby at various growth stages, and can also be folded down flat for storage. It also comes with a detachable toy bar for your baby to play with.

The Steps Bouncer is ergonomic in design and is manufactured in The Netherlands.

Probably the most stylish bouncers available, the Bloom Coco Go Bouncer and Stylewood Lounger feature a contemporary design that won’t stand out like a sore thumb in your living room. The Coco Go Bouncer has a concealed vibration unit, while the Stylewood Lounger features a self-rocking motion.

Both choices are great, depending on your preferences. Personally, I was never a fan of using vibration for babies, so I would lean toward the Stylewood Lounger. Both seats feature an organic cotton seat, so you can rest assured that your baby won’t be coming in direct contact with any harmful substances when using the Bloom bouncers.

While the Rock & Play is not necessarily a non-toxic baby bouncer, it is a tried-and-true favorite among parents and babies alike. The fabric is polyester and can be washed, so that’s definitely recommended. And it thankfully does not contain flame retardants.

Unlike the other bouncers listed here, the Rock & Play has some extra bells and whistles, including vibration, songs, sound effects, and an auto-rocking option. The Rock & Play plugs into your wall outlet, though if you prefer a bouncer without electric power, like me, you can go with the older version of the Rock & Play that doesn’t have the auto-rocking feature. I’m generally not a fan of vibration and songs as they can be overstimulating to a newborn.

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Comments

I have been using your guides all week to finish up my registry! Thanks so much for the helpful info you put on this site. I put the Bloom Coco Lounger on my registry, but was wondering if you know of any Canadian retailers for Charlie Crane’s Levo Baby Rocker? (https://www.polyvore.com/charlie_crane_levo_baby_rocker/thing?id=149476567) Houseology is the only one I can find, but there has got to be a cheaper one somewhere!

I personally don’t use a swing and I have only done a little research on the subject so far. But I don’t know of any non-toxic swings except for the Hushamok Hammock: http://amzn.to/2vfhcXA, which probably isn’t what you are looking for. I use the Baby Bjorn Bouncer and love it, but it is very different than a swing. Let me do a little more research on the topic and let you know!

Only for supervised naps. Both my boys have slept in the Baby Bjorn bouncer as newborns and loved it. After the newborn period it doesn’t really work that well for sleep because they’re less likely to fall asleep just anywhere.

Pack n Plays are the go-to of play yards so you know they’re great products but Graco makes no effort to reduce toxins in their products. I don’t have the latest info but I would be happy to follow up with them! If you plan on using it for sleep, I would suggest you consider one of the other play yards I’ve listed here. If you’re just planning to use it occasionally, it would be wise to buy it and air it out as much as possible.

I wouldnt be using it for sleep. But maybe as the baby grows to let him/her play in it. For sleep i would be using crib majorly. But i would be using the bouncer and changing pad exclusively, because i dont have any other diaper changing station or bouncer chair.

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